Though I think it’s often an abject exercise, I’ve been trying to find a current NBA template for Westbrook. Last night, I might’ve found one in Rajon Rondo. Like Rondo, Westbrook has great length [though Westbrook starts with two extra inches] and athleticism. He’s also lightning quick off the dribble, and plays persistent on-ball defense.

With regard to his ability to play the point, one of my favorite things about Westbrook’s game log is that, after the first of March, Westbrook collected three turnovers or greater in only one game – in the regional semis to Western Kentucky. His entire game was uncharacteristically frenetic that night, though he grabbed 11 boards – six of them on the offensive glass. Westbrook led the 07-08 UCLA team in assists. But what impressed me over the course of UCLA’s season was the quality of Westbrook’s assists. It might very well be a function of playing together over the course of a season, but Westbrook demonstrated an ability to get his big men the ball. In their blowout of Cal at Pauley toward the end of the season, Westbrook managed to find Luc Richard Mbah a Moute three times on the block for easy shots – once in a beautiful transition series, where Westbrook does some of his best work. While it may be pollyannaish to suppose a guard can translate good sense and patience into an NBA-caliber brand of point guardhood, Westbrook displays the instincts to read the court and move the ball where it can best help his offense.

Defensively, I’m not sure there’s a better collegiate guard in the nation. Can he pressure the ball? About as well as anyone. But he also defends the pick-and-roll with a pro-style proficiency and confidence. He can squirrel around screens, give a big man pause off the switch, and trap with the best of them. Moreover, he knows exactly when to employ each tactic.

For the Clippers sake, I’d rank Westbrook ahead of Gordon. Where he stands in relation to Bayless or Mayo is a tougher call. But if Russell Westbrook logs 1,700 minutes in the Mike Dunleavy’s backcourt next season, you’d hear no complaints from Clipperblog.

Posted Wednesday, October 29 at 3:20PM

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Comments

In my opinion, other than Rose of course, Bayless is the best PG in this year's draft. I doubt he's still there when we select (approx. #6), but if he is, we need to get a Clippers Jersey on that kid. I wouldn't even mind seeing us trade up for him.

I still don't get why so many people are positive that Brand will leave. It just doesn't make sense for him to leave right now. His price will have been reduced because of his injury. Plus, even if he did want to leave, the Clippers can match anything offered for him, and if he waits a year, that won't be the case. He has more freedom, more money, and less competition if he waits a year.

"Westbrook is a baller"- Baron Davis
He blocked Kobe 3x during a pick up game last summer. He's NBA ready. He grew up down the street.
I would take him over Gordon. Not over Mayo or Rose though. (Like we even have a shot at Rose)

"Westbrook is a baller"- Baron Davis
He blocked Kobe 3x during a pick up game last summer. He's NBA ready. He grew up down the street.
I would take him over Gordon. Not over Mayo or Rose though. (Like we even have a shot at Rose)

" Plus, even if he did want to leave, the Clippers can match anything offered for him, and if he waits a year, that won't be the case. He has more freedom, more money, and less competition if he waits a year. "

WRONG. You couldnt be more wrong. He is an un-restricted free agent. That means he can sign wherever he wants.

He is the best free agent PF to hit the market in years and the Clippers havent shown that they can win consistently.

I am only hoping he feels a little obligation to the team since the major reason they stunk last year was because of his injury.

He's an early termination offer. I'm not sure whether that means he's restricted or unrestricted, but that really doesn't matter a whole lot. His price is still not as high as it should be, the system here is familiar, and I assure you that his agent agrees with me that it would be a very foolish move to sign a longterm deal now when you have a fresh one to proove yourself.

I might have messed up one detail, my friend, but the basics of my argument are as strong as ever.

Plus, with all the big names turning into free-agents next year, it's actually a blessing in disguise. Some people would say that that means he'll have more competition for a large contract, but in reality, the NBA's Salary Cap is too low for all of the high-profile players that are coming in. Brand is an elite player who deserves elite money, but the only way he'll be able to make that money is if he waits until other teams can clear it up.

Brand will more than likely be a Clipper next year, and if he does ask out, the Clippers have enough money being freed up this summer to have more leverage than most other teams.

What EB decides to do this Summer will either be a signal that the Clips brass has their shit together finally OR it'll be an indictment to the contrary and the clearest illustration yet that maybe, just maybe the Clips brass and by extension Mike Dunleavy aren't capable of building a winning NBA product. The stakes couldn't be higher for them all this Summer, and we'll have to see what shakes out.

Brand WILL opt out this year, regardless of what his intentions are. And when he does, he will be an un-restricted free agent. Period.

If he does decide to return to the Clippers, he will get a max deal that will be more than he can get anywhere else. And the Clippers will give it to him without thinking twice. I'm sure the Clippers AND Mr. Brand agree that he has already proven himself as a very, very good player. He wouldnt be sacrificing anything (money wise) if he opted out.

However, he WOULD be sacrificing long term financial security if he did NOT opt out this year. SAy his achilles acts up next year... or his game actually regresses (he's no spring chicken) which team would give him anything near a max deal?

As far as the salary cap, it is obvious you have no idea what you're talking about, or you dont know how to express yourself in a manner where anyone could understand you.

And let's get this straight... Elton Brand is NOT an elite player. He is a 2-time all star power forward. He is the best player the Clippers have had in decades. He is my favorite player in the NBA. But Elton Brand is no elite player. He's not even in the top 20 players in the league.

It was just a report on who would go to which lottery team, Rose or Beasley. We would of course draft Rose, but supposedly there's "rumblings" going on in LA that EB wants to leave for a contender.

Chris Ford is a joke and probably suffers from slight mental retardation. "[...] there are rumblings in L.A. that he might opt out for the chance at a title" He has no proof to back up his claims, NONE whatsoever. Hey Mr. Ford, not every player is going to abandon his team if things are looking bleak *cough* Kobe*cough*. I’d say the “rumblings” are the fact that CF actually got to #6 and had to spend 10 seconds thinking about the Clippers.

Throughout the season EB's been ensuring over and over in news reports to us, THE FANS, that he'll be returning if all is fair in the deals this off-season. FAIR. He knows he didn't play the majority of the season, and he knows he shouldn't ask for more money. EB has character and is one of the classiest players in the league. For him to leave after getting paid to play, what? 10 games? Is just not the Elton Brand the fans all know.

As for opting out, he's probably going to opt out and be a free agent and wait for the Clippers to offer him a max deal that only the Clippers can offer. I mean... who else is going to have cap space for EB? Miami? Philly? Memphis? ACD's right, he's 30 years old now, and I'm not sure if any other franchise is willing to risk their money on a veteran who's just come from a very serious injury. Philly is indeed a contender, but I just don't see EB playing their type of pick and roll ball.

Also... define elite... Elton Brand isn't very marketable and he doesn't get much publicity so you don't hear much about him. You could say he's a "Forgotten Star." But don't forget this is a guy who posts up 20/10 (Or close to it) EVERY season consistently since he was a rookie. There are very few players in this league who can boast such consistency as EB, and in regards to consistent play, Elton Brand is in elite company.

Honestly, I hope one day Staples Center can proudly hang the #42 jersey.

He's one of three 20 10 guys in the league and in the top 20 overall easy. If that's not an "elite" player, I don't know what is.

That Anti-Clipper list is a joke as usual. Rasheed Wallace over Brand? lol. Same for a few others on the list. The Anti Clipper actually left out a few that should be on the list like Stoudamire, Gasol and David West. There are a lot of good power forwards in the West, not so much in the East. We have David West, Stoudamire, Dirk, Gasol, Elton, (Duncan is a Center plain and simple). Anyone in this group is Elite. Elton is a much stronger defensive presence than any of the aforementioned (Duncan is a center) and he is a better rebounder too. Out of that group I would only take Stoudimire in terms of raw talent over Brand but I'd rather have Brand (or Duncan) on my team.

Besides if Brand leaves the team you will be down to 6 Clipper fans (fans who apparently are loyal to the name) as I will be rooting for whomever Brand is playing for.

He's one of three 20 10 guys in the league and in the top 20 overall easy. If that's not an "elite" player, I don't know what is.

That Anti-Clipper list is a joke as usual. Rasheed Wallace over Brand? lol. Same for a few others on the list. The Anti Clipper actually left out a few that should be on the list like Stoudamire, Gasol and David West. There are a lot of good power forwards in the West, not so much in the East. We have David West, Stoudamire, Dirk, Gasol, Elton, (Duncan is a Center plain and simple). Anyone in this group is Elite. Elton is a much stronger defensive presence than any of the aforementioned (Duncan is a center) and he is a better rebounder too. Out of that group I would only take Stoudimire in terms of raw talent over Brand but I'd rather have Brand (or Duncan) on my team.

Besides if Brand leaves the team you will be down to 6 Clipper fans (fans who apparently are loyal to the name) as I will be rooting for whomever Brand is playing for.

I wouldnt call gasol or West Elite because they dont dominate games on their own. I think you can lump Brand in with Gasol West because they dont dominate games individually (forget West's explosion last night)...

Gasol and West both got MUCH better when they became the 2nd best player on their teams.

I am NOT discounting Brand's excellence, but I cant remember Brand making more than a dozen game-winning (last minute game on the line) shots in his career (or passes or blocks for that matter). Aside from 2006, I dont think he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Kobe, Lebron, KG, Duncan, etc....

Elite? Probably not. Dominating at times? Definitely yes. But if there were a draft held today, Mr. Brand would fall well below the top 15 picks.

I'm not saying that E.B> wants to be a Clipper for life, or that he doesn't want to be on a contender, I'm not naive, and I know that he probably does. My point is simply that it makes no sense for him to leave this summer. There is no way to refute that point. Will E.B. be a CLipper next year? I have no idea. But don't be so sure he's on his way out, because he has just as many reasons to stay.

And for the record: Nothing in your latest response is based on any type of proof. You're just speculating, and you lack as much fact and reason as I do. You say I don't know what I'm talking about? Obviously you have no idea either, or you'd correct me with more than just mudslinging.

All that you have to do is post a link to a story saying that Brand will for sure opt out, and I'll admit you're right. But because it hasn't happened yet, you're only speculating too.

I would take Brand over Wallace, Bosh and Boozer hands down. He's a much, much, better defensive player than those guys. Bosh has really lost a lot of his luster in Toronto and teams have learned how to slow Boozer down and he isn't as good kicking out as Brand is.

And, of course, Wallace is a head case.

The difference between Brand and all of these guys is that he gets his team going on the defensive end. Even when he played on the U.S. Olympic team he was valued for changing the game defensively to get the offense going, even if it was for other players. Speaking of that, does anyone know if he's gonna try and make the Bejing team? I haven't heard anything definitively.

The bigger issue here is very few lottery picks -- or top picks -- have lead their teams to the playoffs. Even if we got Rose , the chances of improvement are good, yes, but playoffs? Unlikely.

And one other thing, since it has barely been mentioned here. I was pleasantly surprised the national media put Thorton on the all rookie team. Some of the players he beat like Stuckey, Moon and Landry had legit claims to the first team (Jeff Green? The guy barely showed up). Not to mention Nick Young who filled in pretty well when Arenas was out.

I've been a big fan of Jose Calderon's games for the past two years. I know we need a reliable PG, and I would love Calderon to don a Clippers uni, but are there any realistic trade/sign and trade options that we have? I think Calderon has one more year on his contract, but it certainly undervalued... anybody have any thoughts?